Posted: Friday, July 24, 2015
Aqua Pennsylvania (Aqua) is asking its customers in the Shenango Valley area and a small portion of Trumbull County, Ohio to conserve water following a crude oil spill that caused Aqua to shut down the raw-water intake at its water treatment plant as a precaution to protect its drinking water supply.
At the request of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Aqua is asking its customers in the Shenango Valley area to conserve water until further notice. This is necessary because, as a result of the spill, the plant is no longer drawing in new water. Aqua is asking its customers to use water for essential purposes only. Essential uses include water needed for eating and drinking. Non-essential uses include watering lawns, excessive showering, laundering and washing cars.
At about 8 a.m. today, Aqua was notified by the Mercer County Emergency Management Agency of a crude oil spill on a tributary that feeds the Shenango River — the water source for Aqua’s Shenango water treatment plant.
Upon notification, Aqua implemented its standard operating procedures (SOP) for such an emergency by shutting down the Shenango plant to assess the situation. Aqua increased monitoring of the raw water at the plant intake and upstream of the plant. Booms have been placed around the raw water intake to protect it from the spill.
Staff is also closely monitoring its distribution storage and will continue this and its other procedures throughout the event.
The affected service area is listed below.
Mercer County: City of Farrell, City of Hermitage, City of Sharon, Coolspring Township, E. Lackawannock Township, Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Lackawannock Township, Mercer Borough, Shenango Township, West Middlesex Borough, Wheatland Borough,
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1,700 gallon oil spill from a tank of Big Sky Energy out of New Concord, Ohio, brings call for Shenango Valley water conservation
Posted: July 24, 2015BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio -
Homes and businesses served by the Shenango Water Treatment Plant are being asked to conserve water until further notice due to a spill in the area.
Hazmat crews have been on the scene of a crude oil spill reported Friday morning along the Shenango River near North River Road in Sharon, Pennsylvania.
Although authorities say the spill has been contained, Jim Willard, Western Area Manager for Aqua of Pennsylvania tells 21 News that operations a the Shenango Water plant have been shut down until investigators give them the "all-clear" allowing them to resume water intake.
Until then, Aqua customers in the area are being asked to conserve.
"Because we are not producing and treating water we are riding on the storage volume in our tanks right now. That means we need to conserve that water to get us through this time period before we can bring the intakes back online," says Willard.
The affected service area is listed below:
Mercer County:
City of Farrell, City of Hermitage, City of Sharon, Coolspring Township, E.
Lackawannock Township, Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Lackawannock Township, Mercer Borough, Shenango Township, West Middlesex Borough, Wheatland Borough, Wilmington Township, and Sharpsville Borough.
Lawrence County:
New Wilmington Borough, Pulaski Township, Wilmington Township.
Trumbull County:
Brookfield Township, Hubbard Township, City of Hubbard.
The source of the spill is believed to be from an oil well across the state line along Orangeville and Thompson Sharpsville Roads in Brookfield.
The oil made its way into a tributary of the Shenango River.
The Ohio EPA says it is coordinating hazmat efforts in Trumbull County.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Health is monitoring cleanup efforts at the Shenango River.
The Brookfield Fire Department, Hermitage Fire Department, Sharon and Transfer Fire Department, as well as state authorities, are investigating the situation.
Authorities estimate the oil had been leaking for about 24 hours. Approximately 500 gallons had escaped from the tank.
According to a statement from Congressman Tim Ryan, the U.S. EPA informed his office that the spill entailed 1,700 gallons.
The owner of the well is Big Sky Energy out of New Concord, Ohio.
The president of that company, Robert Barr, tells 21 News the bottom of the tank had rusted out, leading to the leak.
He says his company will pay for clean-up costs he estimates to reach around $40,000.